Japanese co. to invest in Utah Flour Milling

NIPPN Corp., a division of Japanese investing giant Mitsui Group and operator of one of Japan’s largest flour milling businesses, has announced that it is entering the U.S. milling market for the first time with a $25 million investment in Utah Flour Milling LLC, according to a report in Food Business News.

Established in February by Denver-based PHM Brands LLC, Utah Flour Milling will begin construction of the mill this summer at a yet-to-be-announced location and it is expected to be completed in the fall of 2024, according to NIPPN, which also noted the{mprestriction ids="1,3"} plant’s daily flour production capacity will be 750,000 pounds.

NIPPN said the mill will feature leading-edge technology, including patented pathogen-reduction biotechnology from Energis Solutions, a subsidiary of PHM Brands.

NIPPN said it will be committed to realizing its long-term vision of “business expansion in North America and business development, including inorganic growth strategy” through this investment, enhancing the group’s overall strength as a flour miller through direct engagement in the U.S. flour milling business. NIPPN owns NIPPN California Inc., a California-based premix sales company, and Pasta Montana LLC, a pasta production and sales company in Great Falls.

In recent years, NIPPN consistently has garnered between 23 percent and 24 percent of the flour milling market share in Japan and it continues to upgrade its seven flour mills. Formerly known as Nippon Flour Mills Co. Ltd., the company changed its name to NIPPN in 2021.{/mprestriction}